A King and His Pawns
by aaaaaaaaaa-sa-a
Summary: Camilla wonders if Kamui is the only one in the family with common sense. F!Kamui. No pairings. One-shot.


**AN: I'm not dead, for those none of you that were worried. You're so kind.**

 **In this fic, Kamui will have blue hair, because hELL FRIGGIN YES I'M GOING TO FINALLY BE THE BLUE HAIRED LORD FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE THANK YOU VERY MUCH.**

 **Also, as this is a fan fiction and I try to stay as far away from spoilers at possible** **, this fic will probably not _completely_ align with the canon of the games.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Fire Emblem franchise. If I did, then I would have imputed gay marriage and male pegasus knights a long time ago, because both are FABULOUS.**

Camilla is eight when a toddler is thrust into her arms, her father claiming it to be her half-sister.

She doesn't believe him. Why would one of his concubines wait until her child is three to announce its existence? Leo's mother had claimed him as Father's son as soon as he was out of the womb. (Of course she was executed before Leo's second year after getting on the Queen's nerves, but whatever.) Maybe it was the fact that Father's mistresses set out to kill other children of his.

That's why Mother is rotting in jail, you know.

The toddler Kamui–what kind of name is that? Oh, that's right, a _Hoshido_ one–grabs at Camilla's hair. She says something incoherent with her thick accent, demanding her new older sister's attention.

Camilla looks down at the girl. With scruffy, dark blue hair and blood red eyes (both colors that no Nohrians naturally exhibit this way) and pointy ears and sharp teeth, she looks nothing like Father.

However, Kamui is still quite thick with baby fat. Maybe her skull structure will look more like Father's as time wears on. Her nose is shaped quite like Azura's, though…Maybe Kamui is Azura's full sister?

Kamui, obviously not satisfied with what little attention Camilla is giving her, fists her purple locks in her chubby hand and yanks harder than before.

"Ow! Ow! Ow!" Camilla forcefully uncurls Kamui's fingers from her hair. "Fine! You've got my attention."

Xander snickers at her from where he's crouched down in front of Leo and Azura. She sends him a glare, and then laughs right back when Leo stomps hard on his foot with a scream of: "You took it! You _took_ it!"

"It isn't funny, Camilla!" Xander insists, hopping on one foot.

"It's pretty funny," Camilla says. She turns to her new sister for back up. "Right, Kamui?"

Kamui nods enthusiastically. Her eyes are clouded with confusion as she looks around, but they brighten when they look at Camilla. It excites her, a little, knowing that out of _everyone_ in the palace, she's the one this child has latched onto. "Right, Cam–Camil–" She tries to sound out Camilla's name, before finally settling on "Cami."

Camilla smiles at her and pinches her cheek. "You're cute," she announces. "I guess we'll keep you."

And, just like that, Kamui is accepted into the close-knit group of Father's children. She and Azura (the pair often running around barefoot, jumping in mud puddles and collecting frogs) and Camilla and Xander get along splendidly. She and Leo usually bicker about every little thing, but they're good friends, and when Elise is born, Kamui always insists playing with her before anyone else does.

Camilla almost believes that Kamui is her actual half-sister and not a charity case–almost.

For the first year or so, Kamui throws fits before bed, demanding where her daddy and mommy are. Even after Father is called to calm her down, she keeps writhing and kicking and crying and screaming.

It usually ends with Camilla sleeping in Kamui's room, or vice versa, since the new princess has really connected with the purple-haired girl.

Azura disappears sometime after Elise is born. Father plays it off as one of his mistresses killed her, but there's no body or announced killer. Not even a funeral, and there's always a funeral, no matter how old the child was.

;

As they grow older, Camilla and Xander lead raids on Hoshido villages and protect the border from small skirmishes, though big enough to call attention of the royals.

Kamui trades in her wooden swords for ones of bronze, steel, and silver, and Leo's chamber is overflowing with tomes and texts on magic. Even little Elise learns how to apply healing staves correctly.

Even though Camilla started when she was their age, it's a little worrying to see Kamui and Leo train for battle. It's…different, imaging her younger siblings cutting down foes than doing it herself.

At least, Garon is proud of them. All of them.

Well…Only Kamui, really. After witnessing her basic sword skills, Father immediately ordered Gunter, one of the best heroes of his time, to take Kamui on as one of his pupils in his advanced class. Father constantly pats her on the back and ruffles her hair and encourages her to do better.

It's a spot of jealousy for Leo and Xander, but they are mature enough to brush it off (usually), while Elise remains blissfully ignorant, always congratulating Kamui after Garon.

Camilla knows, though. She knows how much pressure Kamui puts on herself. Notices the way she rolls her shoulders painfully and the make-up hastily applied under her eyes with the intent of hiding dark circles. Sees how she trains until late at night without realizing dusk has long passed.

Just like everyone else, Kamui wants to hear Garon's praise. Needs to know that he notices her more than "that one person whom sits at the table." The only children Father talks to regularly are Xander and Kamui, and they both do whatever they can to keep that attention.

It wears Kamui out more than Xander, and Camilla does whatever she can to make it better for her little sister. Instead of addressing sword-fighting and battle, Camilla steers their conversations toward different things, like hair and clothes and usual court gossip. She does whatever she can to get Kamui out of that black-and-white armor and into actual fabric (though she can never force boots onto Kamui's feet), usually by taking her out into the village. That way, Kamui can have the chance to just… _breathe_ without Father watching her constantly.

They always have Luna or Kaze or Belka or Silas with them, but they're all better than Father. Kamui can be herself around them and Camilla; silly, short-tempered, sarcastic, and quite the charmer.

It makes Camilla's heart flood with warmth, watching Kamui make up stories in the grass for her audience, like a child teenager _should_ be able to do.

Camilla buys her a treat before they go back to the castle (usually some kind of candy, for that rather sharp sweet tooth she has). The walk is just as light as the actual trip; the princesses and sometimes their retainers giggling madly as they stroll down the road.

And then they're both back in their armor, weapons in hand for real and practice battles, Kamui a day closer to joining Camilla on her dangerous journeys to Hoshido.

;

It feels the first time all five of them have been gathered in the throne room by their father in a while.

It may _actually_ be the first time. Camilla doesn't remember the five of them being called in since Elise was born.

Everyone feels the energy of the moment. Kamui and Leo toss whispers back and forth, questioning _why_ they're here. Elise frets over her mother (since hers' was the only one who stayed) but Camilla quickly shuts that thought down.

Garon enters, plopping himself down on the throne, and all five straighten. Shoulders go back, chins are lifted up, and hands are placed on hilts.

The King doesn't let the anticipation hang in the air another moment. He immediately starts talking–about how Nohr is…not in a good place ( _suffering_ , Camilla says truthfully in her mind), how Hoshido refuses to share any of their goods. He explains the plan for his five children to carry out and take over Hoshido, no matter who gets in their way.

Camilla, Xander, Leo, and Elise perk up at the words, the former two ready to prove themselves further than border skirmishes, the latter two ready to prove themselves in general. When she glances over, however, Camilla sees Kamui wearing a look of distain.

"Mikoto is weak without her husband," Garon insists, and Camilla notices the distinct lack of _Queen_ in that sentence, "and the heirs are jokes. Even the oldest two are just children playing around with their father's toys." And then Camilla and Xander flinch, because if the crown prince Ryoma and Princess Hinoka are children, what are they?

The King continues his dialogue of "we must seize the chance while they are weak!" even though Queen Mikoto's husband has been dead for thirteen years. Strategically, it would have been better to strike right after his death, before Queen Mikoto's army and children had the chance to recover and grow.

But Nohr is nothing without glory. And that glory is won by battling with strong opponents.

Once Garon concludes his speech, he retires to his bed chambers, where a concubine or two is most likely waiting, though he's well past the age of having more children.

Xander leaves with the excuse of "need to prepare," and Elise tags along, dragging Leo by his small cape. Camilla almost joins them.

Kamui's hand no longer rests on her hilt: Instead, she twiddles her thumbs, staring off into nothing with blue brows drawn together. She suddenly looks uncomfortable in her (perfectly tailored to her body, perfectly made for battle) armor.

Camilla hesitates, glancing between her and their three other siblings. Kamui seems to be the only one _not_ excited about the war ahead of them.

She ponders over the wrong-sounding sentence. "Why aren't you excited, Kamui?" she questions. "Don't you want to want to prove yourself to Father? You're always trying to be better, for him."

"I do, and I always try. But…" Kamui's fingers trace down her palm, to where the blue vein in the tender flesh of her wrist would be, if it were not covered by her gloves. "…since when does proving my worth to Father involve the slaughter of innocents?" Camilla blinks.

"They are not innocents," she says. "They're trained soldiers of Hoshido that, by no doubt, have blood on each and every one of their grimy fingers."

Kamui glances at her miserably. "And what of the lives in the villages we shall raze? Or do you count their cutting of crops as a sin?"

"I…" Kamui's eyes–her deep, readable red eyes–remind Camilla of the blood that has already tainted her own hands. It suddenly scares her, because that blood will soon be splattered on Kamui's sword and palms and in between her fingers.

Kamui likes to fight, Camilla knows. She's one of the best at battling; rivaling Xander, and maybe even Garon in his youth. Her arrogance and short temper often get her into skirmishes with anyone who dares challenge her, but Kamui takes honor, not lives.

Camilla doesn't want that to change. She's never wanted Kamui to change from that smiling, innocent three-year-old she met over a decade ago.

But she can't help that, because the King had just ordered _all_ of his children to lead the charge, including Kamui, even if she is not his by birth.

"I'll tell you what," Camilla starts. "If you tell Father that you refuse to kill an innocent, I'll back you up."

"Really?" Kamui questions.

She nods. "Really."

She gets the slightest smile–showing off Kamui's overly large K9. "Well, then, let's tell him now!"

Camilla stops her from marching off to Garon's bed chambers with a hand on Kamui's elbow. "Tomorrow," she promises, grimacing as she thinks of the situation her sister was about to stroll into. "But today, we shall go out onto the town. Just the two of us."

"And Silas and Belka?"

"Nah." She shakes her head. "I'll convince them not to follow us."

Kamui snorts–a sound that if anyone else were to do it, it would have been ugly, but Kamui made it rather cute. "How would you _ever_ manage that?"

"With magic," Camilla whispers with a grin and a fluttering of her fingers. Her little sister laughs as Camilla throws an arm around her shoulders, leading them out of the throne room. It's probably uncomfortable, given the sharp plates of her armor, but Kamui doesn't complain.

She talks about what they'll do once they arrive in town, obviously avoiding the topic of the war ahead of them, while Camilla can't get her mind off of it.

As she watches Kamui use her hands in wide gestures instead of resting one on the hilt of her weapon– like herself–Camilla wonders if Kamui is the only one with common sense in their family.

 **AN: I imagine that Garon told his kids that Kamui was one of his, but they figured out that s/he was adopted anyway. Also that, since the wikia says that Garon used to be a good father, his kids go above and beyond to gain his attention again, but they fail time after time.**

 **This was not beta'd, so all mistakes are mine. If you see an error, please inform me so I may fix it.**

 **Constructive criticism welcome, and reviews make my day!**


End file.
